In information processing apparatus (computer systems) such as personal computers and the like, boot drive assignment is determined by the BIOS setting (BIOS setup menu) and booting is done from the drive that is assigned the highest priority level. Normally, an external recording medium (external device) is assigned the highest priority and when the external recording medium is connected to the apparatus and the power is turned on, booting is done from the external recording medium. In addition, when the power is turned on without the external recording medium being connected to the apparatus, booting is done from an internal device such as the HDD (Hard Disk Drive) which has been assigned the next priority level and the programs stored in the internal device are booted and the apparatus can be used in the normal operation mode (for example Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-215399).
In the foregoing information processing apparatus, after booting from the external recording medium, if the user forgets to disconnect the external recording medium from the apparatus and turns on the power, booting from the external recording medium occurs again, the apparatus cannot be used in normal operation mode in the case where the user wishes to use the apparatus in normal operation mode. Also when the apparatus returns from the energy saving mode, booting from the external recording medium occurs and use in the normal operation mode is no longer possible. It is not desirable that in this manner, the external recording medium that the user forgot to disconnect from the apparatus is detected and booting from the external recording medium is performed, and contrary to the will of the user, use of the apparatus in the normal operation mode is no longer possible.
It is required to provide the information processing apparatus and program, even in the case where the user forgets to detach the recording medium that is externally connected to the apparatus, booting from the recording medium that is against the will of the user can be prevented.